


Blood and Lies

by lachatblanche



Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies), X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Mob, Dubious Morality, Implied/Referenced Dubious Consent, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-22
Updated: 2019-07-22
Packaged: 2020-06-26 16:28:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19772050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lachatblanche/pseuds/lachatblanche
Summary: Years ago, circumstances - and bullets - drove mob boss Erik Lehnsherr and CIA agent Charles Xavier apart. When Erik receives news that Charles’s ex-partner (and ex-lover) Logan isn’t as dead as everyone believed, he sees a way to finally get Charles back at his side.





	Blood and Lies

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Hideaway](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5609341) by [Gerec](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gerec/pseuds/Gerec). 
  * In response to a prompt by [Gerec](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gerec/pseuds/Gerec) in the [xmen_remix_madness2019](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/xmen_remix_madness2019) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
> Safe work, if any (no limit): Gods or Mortals  
> Previous remixes, if any: https://archiveofourown.org/series/783426 (all remixes are part of this series)  
> I am okay with my X-Men comics/original movie trilogy/cartoon works being remixed: yes  
> I am okay with my collaborations being remixed: yes  
> I am okay with being remixed in a different medium (fic for art or art for fic): yes  
> I am okay with my past remixes being remixed: yes  
> I am okay with certain WIPs being remixed: yes to all except Gods or Mortals
> 
> Based on ‘Blood and Lies - The Deal’ (Chapter 3 in ‘The Hideaway’)

Erik Lehnsherr stood at the floor-to-ceiling windows of his penthouse apartment, gazing out at the city — _his city_ — with cold grey eyes.

A knock on the door sounded; Erik inclined his head a hairs-breadth towards the noise. In response, Janos moved, sleek and silent as always, and opened the door.

‘Boss,’ Azazel greeted as he strode in. 

‘Azazel,’ Erik acknowledged without turning around. ‘You have news, I gather.’

‘I do,’ Azazel agreed, his eyes gleaming. ‘And I think you’re going to be interested in this one, boss.’

Erik’s eyebrow rose.

Azazel came to a pause just behind Erik. ‘It’s about Howlett,’ he said, almost with relish. ‘Xavier’s partner.’

Erik’s back, already ramrod straight, seemed to suddenly grow stiffer. Slowly, he turned around so that he was facing Azazel. ‘Logan Howlett,’ he said softly. His voice held no inflection, but there was a flare of anger that showed in his eyes as he pronounced the name. He looked at Azazel. ‘The man is dead,’ he said sharply. ‘What news can there be.’

‘That’s the thing,’ Azazel said grimly. ‘Howlett? He’s not dead.’

Erik’s eyes shot to his. ‘What?’ he demanded. ‘You are certain?’

Azazel shrugged. ‘Our informants at Stryker’s say so,’ he said. ‘And they’ve given us no reason to doubt them before.’

Erik inhaled deeply, processing the news. His eyes were icy cold. ‘What else do we know?’

‘Just that Howlett is alive and in Stryker’s possession. He’s injured but there’s nothing life-threatening as far as I can tell. Oh,’ Azazel’s eyes glinted. ‘And the word is he’s got a touch of _amnesia_.’

Erik’s eyes narrowed. ‘Amnesia,’ he repeated slowly, looking thoughtful. ‘I see. And how much does he remember?’

Azazel shrugged again. ‘Can’t be sure,’ he said frankly. ‘But Stryker’s people are running more tests on him so we’ll know soon.’

‘Hmm.’ Erik considered this for a moment before nodding. ‘Good work,’ he said briskly. ‘Investigate further and get all the details you can. I want a full report by tomorrow.’

‘As you say,’ Azazel murmured, bowing his head low. Knowing he had been this dismissed, he turned and headed for the door.

Erik glanced at Janos. At that, Janos immediately lowered his head and followed Azazel out of the door, closing it behind him and leaving Erik alone to his thoughts.

Erik let out a long, heavy breath. The city view no longer held his attention; he turned away from the window and walked to his desk, his brow furrowed.

Logan Howlett was alive.

This changed things considerably.

Erik had been aware of Logan’s existence from the moment Howlett had joined the CIA as Charles’s partner. The schism between Erik and Charles had already occurred by that point but Erik had always kept tabs on him, had always kept his ear to the ground for news of him or of those around him.

At first he had been satisfied by the idea of Logan as Charles’s new partner. While undoubtedly competent, the man was rude and gruff and unkempt and Erik had been sure the partnership would be merely a platonic one. And at first it had seemed that it was simply that ... but then one of Erik’s informants had passed on a picture of Logan and Charles pressed together, their bodies entwined and their mouths sealed together, and the illusion had been broken.

Erik’s rage had lasted for weeks after that. Luckily, Erik had never been a man who reacted purely on instinct. He had at first very seriously considered having Logan killed, but had eventually — reluctantly — dropped the idea, knowing that it would do nothing to aid him in the long run. He knew Charles well enough to know that any sin he committed against Charles himself could be forgiven, but to raise a hand against someone Charles cared for would mean losing all chance of reconciliation. And so he had stayed his hand and had bided his time.

He hadn’t had to wait long.

The day of the explosion at Trask Industries had been simultaneously one of the best and worst days of Erik’s life. On the one hand the news that Charles had been critically injured in the blast ... on the other, the news that the interloper, Logan Howlett, was finally dead ...

He hadn’t made his approach then; he had been biding his time, waiting to make his move when the time was right, to approach Charles when he was recovered, when the memory of Logan was not so near ...

Only now, it turned out, it wasn’t just the memory he had to contend with; it was the real thing.

Erik sighed and poured himself a glass of scotch from the bottle on his desk.

He was not a man of many regrets. He did not, for instance, regret killing Sebastian Shaw, the man who had been his former boss and a long-term father figure to him. He did not regret assuming the mantle of mob boss and taking over all of Shaw’s former territories and assets, considerable as they were. He didn’t even regret selling out the CIA after having posed as an informant and wringing them for all they were worth in both information and manpower, letting them believe that he was nothing more than one of Shaw’s scared errand boys and not, as he was, the heir apparent.

He regretted none of those things.

What he did regret, however, was losing Charles.

It had been over two years since he and Charles had parted — violently, in a blaze of gunfire and bullets. At the time Erik had been full of burning anger and righteousness and hurt, and had been furious that Charles had not followed him and joined Erik at his side.

As time had passed, however, the anger and hurt had faded. In their place had come understanding, and even appreciation.

Of course Charles had not joined him. It was foolish to have expected him to, he now realised. Charles’s code, his morals, his innate naivety prevented him from doing so, no matter how much he might love Erik and wish to be with him. Erik understood it now: Charles could never allow himself to return to Erik’s side, not after Erik had betrayed the CIA and revealed himself to be far more than the lowly informant that they had believed him to be. His conscience wouldn’t accept it.

Which meant that Erik had to find a way to make himself acceptable. And since he had no intention of stepping away from everything that he had worked so hard to attain, that meant changing Charles’s opinion of what was acceptable.

A plan began to form in Erik’s head.

Perhaps Howlett’s return need not be the curse that it initially appeared to be. Perhaps he could make use of it. After all, very few people knew of Howlett’s survival and Erik was sure that Charles was just as clueless about it as everyone else - at least for now. No doubt he would be desperate for news of his former partner if he heard of his survival ... desperate, Erik mused, and amenable.

This was how he could help Charles, he decided. If Charles’s morals wouldn’t allow him to join Erik of his own free will then Erik would make it so that joining him was the only moral option Charles had. Erik could do this for him. He could do what needed to be done. He could give Charles the excuse he needed to give into his desires and take his rightful place at Erik’s side. If Charles needed him to be the villain in their relationship then so be it; it was a part that he was used to playing. 

And as for Howlett ... well. Erik smiled grimly. The amnesia was a useful tool and Erik was a merciful man — at least, he was when it came to Charles. He could suffer Logan to live. All he had to do was make sure that the amnesia was the permanent kind. Indeed, knowing Stryker and his penchant for psychological conditioning, he probably wouldn’t even have to lift a finger himself.

Erik leaned back in his chair, satisfied. Soon, Charles would be with him again. It had taken over two years to get to this point — two years of distance from Charles, of being unable to see him, speak to him, touch him — but that would all come to an end now. Erik wouldn’t even have to approach him first; Charles would come to him.

The thought made him smile.

He slowly reached out and pressed the intercom button on his desk.

‘Janos,’ he said, glancing around the cold, grey room. ‘I need you to get in contact with Frost. There are some things I’m going to need. Oh,’ he added with a glint in his eye. ‘And find me a decorator. I’ll be having someone to stay very soon and I need the place to be fit for a _king_.’


End file.
